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Orange Alert! NIB activates business continuity plan to protect most vulnerable from COVID-19

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#Nassau, The Bahamas – March 19 – 2020 —- The National Insurance Board (NIB) has activated its Business Continuity Plan (BCP) to address potential business disruptions, which may come as a result of COVID-19. NIB has been in contact with the National Coordinating Committee to ensure that the necessary actions are consistent with the national response.

From Bahamas Ministry of Health

NIB’s BCP is at the Orange Alert stage which concentrates on streamlining processes to protect the most vulnerable customers, such as the elderly, and to limit risks to staff. These changes will ensure that critical services continue to be provided, while ensuring the safety and health of our staff and customers. These measures are in addition to actions already taken to promote staff awareness and education of COVID-19 and upgrades to hygiene and cleaning regimes.

Suspension of Face-to-Face Verification Face-to-face pension verifications will be suspended until further notice. NIB will not prioritize suspension of benefits due to non-verification. For convenience, the verification form (B.75b) is available on NIB’s website, nib-bahamas.com. Beneficiaries who are able to may submit their completed forms electronically at verification@nib-bahamas.com email or, if possible, make use of drop boxes available at NIB offices.

NIB will also be using other modalities to confirm continuing eligibility as required by Regulation 13(2) of the National Insurance (Benefit and Assistance) Regulations. Additionally, the verification hotline, 502-1556, is available to answer questions.

From Bahamas Ministry of Health

Assignment of Bank Accounts for Benefit Payments While the majority of payments to NIB’s beneficiaries are made via direct deposit to bank and credit union accounts, some claimants have elected to receive their benefits via cheques. The National Insurance Board, as per its Business Continuity Plan, now strongly urges that all persons who receive benefit or assistance payments via cheques complete the Direct Deposit form, found on NIB’s website, to designate a bank or credit union account to facilitate continued payments in the event of a business disruption due to COVID-19. Please ensure that you are providing the full and correct account details (branch and account number) rather than the debit card number.

The completed Direct Deposit Form, together with account details, should be emailed to directdepositform@nib-bahamas.com as the preferred method; however, forms may also be received at Local Offices, where a drop box will be provided. An acknowledgement of your request, will be sent within 72 hours.

Registration for Employer Self Service (ESS) Portal NIB’s cashier services remain open for customers to pay NIB contributions at this time; however, in preparation for a business disruption, employers are urged to sign up for the Employer Self Service portal by emailing your request to ess@nib-bahamas.com and compliance@nibbahamas.com.

An ESS representative will guide you through the employer set-up process. You will be able to submit your contribution statements (C10 forms) and pay online via credit card via the portal. Cheque payments can also be submitted through the NIB cheque drop box or RBC online. Other payment arrangements are being finalized including instructions for wire payments.

Suspension of Face-to-Face Interview for New Claims Submissions NIB Customer Service Departments throughout The Bahamas remain open at this time. However, in our efforts to promote social distancing, claim forms will be collected, but the face-to-face interview that usually accompanies the submission of claims will be suspended until further notice. Customer Service representatives will telephone customers should additional clarifications be necessary. Claims will be acknowledged within 72 hours. Completed claim forms and supporting documents may also be emailed to customerservice@nib-bahamas.com (preferred method).

Temporary Suspension of NIB Smart Card Renewals NIB will temporarily suspend the expiration date for all NIB Smart Cards until further notice and the need for card renewals. NIB has contacted the financial institutions, utilities companies and government agencies which rely heavily on NIB’s Smart Card for identification purposes to advise that with immediate effect, all NIB issued Smart Cards should continue to be considered as valid, irrespective of the expiration date (and without the renewal security decal). These agencies have been provided with a hotline number and email to confirm the validity of any Smart Card presented. NIB advises that the National Insurance number of a person is unique and never changes. NIB further reminds that its Smart Card does not imply legal immigration status in The Bahamas. Proof of immigration status can only be verified by an appropriate immigration card/document.

NIB will continue to issue new Smart Cards for those with lost or stolen cards and first time cardholders for as long as it is practical and medically safe. Any further changes will be advised.

NIB will issue additional operational changes during the Orange Alert stage and encourages customers to visit www.nib-bahamas.com and Facebook for updates.

NIB Alert System – NIB COVID-19 Alert Stages:

ALERT NATIONAL THREAT LEVEL NIB’s RESPONSE

YELLOW COVID-19 threat to The Bahamas is imminent. NIB institutes internal BCP protocols.

ORANGE COVID-19 is confirmed in The Bahamas. NIB’s operations streamlined to protect those most vulnerable to COVID-19 outbreak and to limit risk to staff. Offices are open with amended operations procedures. Details will be available via website, Facebook and public notification systems.

RED COVID-19 warnings issued for businesses requiring them to alter normal operating procedures. Potential office closure with NIB’s core services offered through alternative channels. Details will be available via website, Facebook and public notification systems.

GREEN Outbreak in The Bahamas is deemed to be under control. Offices re-open and business resumes normal operations.

Contact: Tonique Williams | Public Relations Manager | tonique.williams@nib-bahamas.com | 242. 397. 3599

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Bahamas News

Get your laugh on, March On, family drama by Gea Pierre, debut this weekend in Turks and Caicos 

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Dana Malcolm 

Staff Writer

After resounding success in the Bahamas, hit play ‘March On, The Story of Us’ has been inundated with requests to take their show on the road, and the first location they’ll be hitting is Providenciales Turks and Caicos with tickets on sale again this weekend, the show debuts Friday night.

Magnetic Media spoke to Gea Pierre, playwright, who told us the TCI was a natural first choice for the cast and crew where shows are set for Brayton Hall, for Friday May 10 at 8pm and Saturday has two showings; matinee at 4pm and evening, 8pm.

Tickets are $75 VIP. General admission is $60.

“We started ‘March On’ in November 2023 and it was really an opportunity for us to tell a story, the story of the Bahamas and to encompass the nations that we have an amazing relationship with like the Turks and Caicos,” she continued “We really got a lot of people calling [for the play] from [the TCI], so much so we really had to pay attentattention.

The response to ‘March On’ at home and abroad was overwhelming.

“To say it went well is an understatement, even before we opened we got calls from Canada, from all over the US with people wanting us to come and perform.”

And take the show on the road they did! Gea and her team have launched “March On: The Tour” and will be in Providenciales to perform on May 10th and 11th. It’s the first of a number of stops which include Nassau and several US locations.

Online tickets are available for purchase with credit cards. The full team returns on Friday, May 10 with the comedy production being held under the patronage of Washington Misick, TCI Premier and First Lady Delthia Misick.

Describing the close familial relationships between the TCI and the Bahamas, for many on the crew it will be like coming home Gea told us, for others it will be a treat to visit for the first time, the places that their grandparents described.

Gea maintained that the team wanted to keep the show as accessible to residents as possible.

As for why you should come out and see the play, other than the great price point:

“The way that people have responded to it is non stop laughter, people have been moved to tears because there’s some emotion. It does not only lend to Bahamians. It’s a family drama, and anyone who’s ever been a part of a family is going to get something out of it, and something moving.”

 

 

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Bahamas News

The Bahamas Successfully Hosts Its Fourth World Athletics Relays

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NASSAU, Bahamas – Hundreds of people from around the world turned out in full force for the BTC World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24 that took place at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium, May 4 -5, 2024.

This is the sixth edition of the relays and the fourth time that The Bahamas has hosted the event, which actually made its debut in The Bahamas in 2014.

President, World Athletics, Sabastian Coe said after three very successful editions from 2014 to 2017, the World Athletics Relays has quickly become one of the World Athletics vibrant competitions, developing a culture of fun and innovation that gives it a unique flavour.

 

He thanked the Bahamas Government, the local World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24 committee and the Bahamian people for agreeing to host the relays.  However, his main thanks were to the “world’s best sprinters” travelling from all the continents to compete in preparation for the road to Paris, France, in two months’ time.

During the opening ceremony, the athletes were given words of advice from Carl Lewis, one of only four Olympic athletes to have won nine Olympic gold medals, who is widely recognized as one of the greatest athletes of all time.

 

He said, “Keep it simple, do not try to do anything extra.  Do what your coaches said.  Leave on time, leave on time, leave on time.”

The athletes and crowds were treated to the sounds and sights of Junkanoo at the end of the opening ceremony.  The Junkanoo performers stuck around for the two days of competitions, playing for the sprinters as they competed on the track.

Teams competed in the Women’s and men’s 4x100m, and the women’s men’s and mixed 4x400m.  A total of 14 teams at the World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24 automatically qualified  for places at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.   Both days of competition were important, as day two offered another chance for qualifications for those teams unsuccessful on day one.

In fact, The Bahamas was able to take advantage of the second day of competition.

Bahamians were made proud as the country set a new national record during the mixed 4x400m relays thanks to the efforts of 16-year-old Shania Adderley, a student of Tabernacle Baptist Academy.

The team came first in their heat on Sunday evening after not being able to gain a spot for the Paris Olympics on the first day of competition.

Other sprinters on the team included Alonzo Russell, as well as Olympic champions Steven Gardiner and Shaunae Miller-Uibo.

(BIS Photos/Kemuel Stubbs)

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PM at World Relays 2024 Opening: ‘Tonight, the eyes are on The Bahamas’

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NASSAU, The Bahamas – During his remarks at the Opening Ceremony for the World Athletics Relays 2024, on May 4, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance the Hon. Philip Davis welcomed the special guests, athletes,  officials, and “all lovers of athletics from around the world” to the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium here in the “vibrant heart” of Nassau, Bahamas.

“This weekend, the world’s finest athletes gather on our shores to embark on a journey that is not only about speed and strength but also about dreams and determination,” Prime Minister Davis said.  “From the serene beauty of our islands to the historic grandeur of Paris, this event marks a crucial path to the Olympic Games in Paris 2024.”

He added: “Here in The Bahamas, we are no strangers to world-class athletics or the warmth and exuberance that such international gatherings bring. It is a distinct honor to once again welcome the World Athletics Relays back to our islands. This event holds a special place in our hearts, symbolizing a bridge between nations brought together by the universal language of sport.”

Prime Minister Davis noted that that year’s theme, “Paradise to Paris,” captured the essence of that journey.

“It is here, amidst the splendor of our sun-kissed beaches and the rhythmic sway of our palms that the chase towards Olympic glory begins anew,” he stated.  “We are thrilled to offer a backdrop of unparalleled beauty, where every sprint, every baton pass, and every victory lap is set against the picture-perfect canvas of our islands.”

 

He added: “To our athletes, I say this: as you stand on the precipice of your dreams, ready to catapult yourself into the annals of history, know that you are part of a legacy of excellence and determination. This weekend, you are not only competitors but also ambassadors of your countries and the spirit of sport. We are especially proud of Team Bahamas, who carry the weight of their performance and the hopes and pride of our nation. You embody the spirit of The Bahamian people, and we are behind you every step of the way.”

Prime Minister said that to the international visitors, he extended “the warmest Bahamian welcome”.

 

“Over the next few days, as you revel in the thrill of competition, take a moment to bask in the beauty of our island,” he stated.  “Discover why we proudly say, “It’s Better in The Bahamas.” Whether it’s the hospitality of our people, the tranquility of our waters, or the rhythm of our culture, you are in for an experience that captures the heart and rejuvenates the soul.”

“Let us celebrate the unity and friendship that sports foster, cheering every athlete and savoring the spectacle of human potential at its best,” Prime Minister Davis added.  “I hope the races are swift, the results are inspiring, and the memories are lasting.

“Welcome to The Bahamas, the paradise where champions chase their dreams to Paris.  As your host, it is my immense pleasure to declare the World Athletics Relays Bahamas 2024 officially open.  Let the games begin.”

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